Dean Ambrose and Kevin Owens Will Redefine IC Title at WWE Royal Rumble 2016

No matter how bad the build, anticipation is always high for WWE's Royal Rumble match each year, especially at the upcoming installment with the WWE World Heavyweight Championship being defended in the annual Battle Royal.

But it's safe to say Dean Ambrose and Kevin Owens have had the most ruthless rivalry of anyone going into the event.

The feud began back in early November when Ambrose teased going after the Intercontinental Championship, but because of the WWE World Heavyweight Title tournament, the feud was shelved for the time being. Still, they contested a highly entertaining non-title matchup at the Survivor Series pay-per-view that gave fans a small taste of what they were capable of producing together.

Owens was seemingly the ideal choice for Intercontinental champion when he captured the prestigious prize in September. If there was anyone who could bring the belt to new heights as John Cena had done with the United States Championship, it was him.

As strongly as he was booked, however, he lacked a formidable opponent fans could rally behind. His feud with Ryback was mediocre at best, and they had zero chemistry, whereas Ambrose filled the role to perfection.

Credit: WWE.com

Although their next match received very little fanfare in the weeks that preceded TLC, it exceeded expectations, as they once again had an enjoyable outing. Ambrose's surprise title win was an added bonus, and it was then that the rivalry was truly taken to the next level.

Over the last month, Ambrose and Owens have been almost inseparable, engaging in brutal brawls on seemingly every episode of Raw and SmackDown. Neither man has been able to score consistent momentum over the other, with their latest championship clash ending in a draw on Jan. 7.

Now they will meet one final time at the Royal Rumble this Sunday in a Last Man Standing match. You would be hard-pressed to find another match with said stipulation attached to it with the Intercontinental Championship on the line.

This is a testament to how personal their program has become and how much faith WWE has in them to deliver a grand match worthy of such a stipulation. As a result, the title means more now than it has in several years.

Owens and Ambrose are undoubtedly bound to break out as main event players in the years to come, but in the meantime, they're making the most of their respective spots on the card and redefining the Intercontinental Championship in the process.

With so many of WWE's top-tier talent out at the moment, now is as optimal a time as ever to showcase the stars of tomorrow, including Ambrose and Owens. From Roman Reigns to Brock Lesnar, the WWE World Heavyweight Championship picture is currently loaded with star power, but the midcard scene receiving the spotlight it has will prove to be beneficial for said Superstars.

They have already done well by the belt so far in their feud, but the Last Man Standing match will raise the stock of the strap significantly as everyone looks to vie for the gold with WrestleMania 32 drawing near.

Of course, the aftermath of the match will be crucial. All eyes will be on the Intercontinental Championship coming out of the event, but if it reverts back to being nothing more than a worthless prop, the effort that went into making it a valuable asset to the midcard will have been for nothing.

Regardless of who wins, the title should be made a top priority on the WrestleMania card. Ambrose could defend against Chris Jericho (with whom he has history dating back to Night of Champions), while Owens has a ready-made feud with Sami Zayn from last year.

The Royal Rumble match will surely be interesting, and even the Divas Championship match has the potential to be excellent, but expect Ambrose and Owens to steal the show with their grueling gimmick match. When was the last time that could be said about a match where the Intercontinental Championship was up for grabs?

Graham Mirmina, aka Graham "GSM" Matthews, is a journalism major at Endicott College. Visit his website, Next Era Wrestling, and "like" his official Facebook page to continue the conversation on all things wrestling.

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